Volume 5, Issue 11, November 2014 Edition

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“Nutraceutical Mushroom Tea”: can it be considered the lost elixir of life![ ]


This review describes a novel concoction of pharmacologically active compounds from mushrooms and a special Cardio Protective Water to formulate a daily use medicinal mushroom tea which has been proved to be with cardio protective, anti-diabetic, antimicrobial, antiviral, antitumor, anti-allergic, immunomodulating, anti-inflammatory, anti-atherogenic, hypoglycemic, hepato-protective properties. The paper covers all the recent nutraceutical aspects of mushrooms including anti-oxidant, cardio-protective, hypercholesterolemia effect, antimicrobial, hepato-protective and antitumor properties. Some focus is also on the clinical trials carried out using the mushrooms and their availability of medicine in India. Overall the present review provides a deep insight on the potential of the mushrooms as dietary supplements along with its use with Cardio Protective water for formulating a mushroom tea which can increase the average human life span.

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A Review of Adaptive Re-use of Historic Buildings: Relevant Lessons from the Dervish Pasha Mansion, Nicosia in Sustaining Conservation Practice in Osun State, Nigeria[ ]


The policy of managing a common heritage must be based on the understanding of its cultural significance. But that could only apply when indeed those holding these heritage properties in trust realize the necessity of observing best practices. Including consideration of other factors affecting the future of a place such as the owner’s needs, resources and external constraints, its physical condition in management policy development is vital. This research is a review of the guiding principles of architectural conservation practices especially as it affects adaptive reuse of immovable tangible properties and its potentials in transforming the historic landscape of Osun State, Nigeria.

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Study of Behaviour of Self Compacting Concrete[ ]


Self compacting concrete (SCC), a new kind of concrete has been first developed in Japan. Fresh self compacting concrete flows into formwork and around obstructions under its own weight to fill it completely and self compact (without any need for vibration), without any segregation and blocking. The elimination of the need for compaction leads to better quality concrete and substantial improvement of working conditions. The three properties that characterize a concrete as self compacting are flowing ability, passing ability & resistance to segregation, these properties must all be satisfied in order to design adequate SCC, together with other requirements including those for hardened performance. Strength & Durability properties play an important role in concrete structures.The durability of concrete structures is closely related to the nature and severity of the environment in which they are located, as well as the nature of the concrete construction. The destructive stresses directly or indirectly can deteriorate concrete and lead to a reduction in service life or premature failure. Therefore, the durability must be given high priority in order to extend the lifespan of concrete. Unfortunately, the concrete industry achieved higher and higher strength but neglected the durability of concrete. Nonetheless, the durability issue has eventually gained attention, and therefore today more focus is on highly durable concrete, which would be able to sustain severe environments. This research is consists of the experimental studies of SCC :(i) development of a suitable mix for SCC that would satisfy the requirements of the plastic state (ii) casting of concrete specimens of standard shape and sizes are prescribed in the relevant Indian standards for determining the properties of concrete and testing them for compressive strength and water absorption (iii) cyclic exposure tests for duration of one month involving wet-dry and heat-cool cycles to observe the degradation of the prepared SCC samples are given before testing. The test results revealed that the compressive strength of SCC specimens increased with the time of curing. After giving exposure conditions of one month i.e. Heat-cool (Heating at 600C for a period of 4 hour in 1day and then cooling at room temperature for 1day), Wet-dry (Wetting for 1 day and drying for 1day at normal temperature) and Control(Lab environment).

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An Automated Tool for Analyzing Dissolved Gases in Power Transformers and Sf6 in Switch Gears Using Artificial Intelligence Approaches including performance measure[ ]


Safe operation of elements of power systems plays a crucial role in maintaining the reliability and safety of the system. Transformers being a key element in power systems need to be maintained and monitored on a regular basis. Dissolved gas analysis has been used as a reliable tool in maintaining the safe operation of transformers for a long time. Analysis of dissolved gases is analytical and often interpreted differently by different users and methods. The scope of Artificial Intelligence tools in dissolved gas analysis has become critical with increasing number of transformers being used in power systems coupled with rapid expansion of transmission and distribution components. Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) modeling technique has emerged as one of the soft computing modeling technique for power transformer. An ANFIS model for dissolved gas analysis of power transformers is implemented. Similarly the GA-based weight optimization during training of an ANN is employed to improve diagnostic accuracy. A Graphical User Interface (GUI) is designed using Matlab to help in the seamless integration of analysis and decision making. The user interface is simple and easy to use providing the user flexibility and wide options for analysis. Traditional methods like Rogers Ratio, Key Gas Method, IEC Ratio Method, Dorenburg Ratio Method, Total Dissolved Combustible Gases Method and Triangle Method. The tools also incorporate fuzzy based analysis based on Rogers’s ratios and Key Gas methods and analysis using Artificial Neural Networks. The tool also has provision for analyzing Sf6 components. The performance of the proposed tool is validated using ROC analysis. The primary motivation for the work is to provide a platform for analysis of dissolved gases to help in the early detection and diagnosis of transformer faults. This work is carried out with assistance from with Andhra Pradesh State Transmission Corporation (APTRANSCO) in the form of required transformer analysis data and expert opinion for validation of the tool.

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Parents Behavior towards Educational Investment Decision: A Case Study of Bahawalpur, Pakistan[ ]


This study is concerned with the parents’ investment behavior towards higher education. Primary data is collected from 300 households for the empirical analysis. Data is collected through field survey by using questionnaires’. Simple random sampling is used for collection of data. For the determination of parent’s investment behavior’s predictors quantitative and qualitative analysis is conducted. For qualitative analysis cross tabs and percentages are used and for quantitative Binary logistic model is used for estimation. Parent’s investment behavior is measured by their decisions for investment which is taken as dependent variable. Father income, family back ground, gender discrimination, number of adults’ child, traditional attitude towards education andacademic records are used as independent variables. The findings of this study explore that the parents’decisions to send their children to university for higher education is highly associated with their traditional attitude toward education ( as they consider just males as their future investment); their preference for education based on sex and family back ground. All these variables have greater impact on parent’s investment behavior towards higher education and statistically significant (p=0.05).

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Socio-economic Determinants of Women Empowerment A Case Study of Cholistan Desert,Pakistan[ ]


The study is concerned to predict the factor which affect household economic decision making. The study finds out the factors which can help us to empower the women in household decision making. The Data is taken through the questionnaires and sample size is one hundred fifty two collected by household survey from the area of check no 8BC of Cholistan district Bahawalpur (August 2014). The study concerned with the primary data. To measure the impact of independent variables on women empowerment stepwise linear regression Model is used. The independent variable used in this study are Income of head, total family member (female), Working status, kind work done by wife, kind of business done by wife, education of wife , education of husband, health of male child, health of female child, Assets, Livestock, Loan. In the twelve steps of linear regression models variable are subtracted in each steps and in the final step kind of work done by wife, education of husband and assets owned by women have positive effects on women empowerment. All these variables have greater impact on women empowerment and statistically significant (p=0.05).

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Fungal diversity in different three Egyptian soils under heavy metals stress[ ]


The objective of this study is to evaluate the diversity of fungi in heavily contaminated soils with heavy metals and characterize the most resistant isolates. Three soil samples were collected from different soil types such as clay alluvial (FFS), calcareous (WNS) and sewage farm (ARS) soils. Four heavy metals (Cd, Zn, Pb and Ni) under various concentrations and their effect on soil properties were investigated. The data showed that Alluvial and Wadi-Natrun soils had the highest values of maximum adsorption and fixation capacity of Cd, Zn, Pb and Ni metals. The highest counts of fungi were recorded in the calcareous soil and alluvial one treated with Ni. Twenty isolates were obtained from counted plates in the highest heavy metals concentrations. These isolates were screened on solid and liquid media enriched with increasing of tested heavy metals concentrations. Isolates No. FM01 and FM14 were the most tolerant for the highest concentrations of the applied Zn, Pb and Cd. Using of nano zero valent iron (nZVI) to enhance growth of fangal isolates was investigated. Over 90 % of 1700 ppm of Zn was removed by nZVI and fungal isolates could be able to grow well. As a result of morphology characteristics; isolates FM01 which tolerate 1600 ppm of Zn was classified as Aspergillus nidulans, while isolate FM04 which tolerate 1600 ppm of Pb and 20 ppm of Cd was recognized as Aspergillus fumigates. The isolate FM14 was tolerated 20 ppm of Cd and classified as Aspergillus flavus. Isolates FM10 and FM15 were tolerated 1700 ppm of Zn and characterized as Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus terreus respectively. The isolate FM20 which tolerate 1500 ppm of Pb and 20 ppm of Cd was classified as Penicillium sp.

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Acid rain: an analysis on the cause, impacts and abatement measures Niger Delta perspective, Nigeria.[ ]


The attention on acid rain is imperative in cognizance of the fact that there is a rejuvenation of rain water harvesting in recent times for which several countries have embraced as either supplemental or replacement roles in water supply schemes. This study enumerates concisely the adverse effects of the acid rain phenomenon in Niger delta Nigeria, the trend of rain water acidity, the extent of impact with certain associated ailments and government abatement measures to curb or eliminate acid rain. Regression model employed to determine the correlations of gas flaring rate (since sulphur oxides, Nitrogen oxides, the precursors of acid rain emanate majorly from gas flaring and power plants) to rain water acidity, cough, diarrhea and poverty gave an overall P value of 0.02 indicating a good significance level for the model. Analysis on the influence of power plants on the acidity of rain water alongside government abatement measures for the control of the acid rain, revealed government focused attention on primary abatement against secondary measures and that the concentration of power plants in the southern region has a significant negative impact on the degree of rain water acidity in the region.

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CASE STUDY ON MANUFACTURING OF CONCRETE FROM READY MIX CONCRETE PLANT AND COSTING ANALYSIS ON FLY ASH BLENDED CONCRETE[ ]


This paper summarizes the results of various physical properties conducted on the aggregates, cement, fly ash, concrete and the effect of replacement of cement by fly ash (15%, 20% and 30%) on the compressive strength to provide sound concrete for the purpose of utilization in various civil engineering constructions like buildings, dams, bridges etc. Our study includes the mix designs of fly ash blended concrete and compressive strength test on concrete cubes to know the performance of the concrete.

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NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF TRIPLE TUBE HEAT EXCHANGER USING ANSYS[ ]


This paper resembles a numerical approach for a new type of thermal energy exchange unit which is a triple concentric tube heat exchanger (TCTHE) .The performance of TCTHE for both parallel and counter flow type arrangements are investigated. Also temperature variation for different flow of the three fluid cold-hot-normal (C-H-N) and normal-hot-cold (N-H-C) along the length of triple tube are done using ANSYS 14. The fluid used is water, hot fluid always flows in the intermediate tube and hot and cold fluid in outer tube and inner tube respectively that may be interchanged. The results obtained shows better result in counter flow type with cold fluid in outer tube and normal fluid in inner tube (NHC arrangement).

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ASSESSEMENT OF BIOMASS EXPANSION FACTOR OF PICEA SMITHIANA (WALL) Boiss[ ]


The present study estimates the biomass expansion factor (BEF) of the native tree specie Picea smithiana in Kumrat valley. For the assessment of BEF destructive method of sampling was used. Five trees of exploitable diameter were selected. The height and diameter of each sample tree was calculated in the field. The trees were separated into their respective components such as branches, twigs, foliages, and stem/bole and stump portion. Stem volume of the each sample tree was find out and converted into biomass. The biomass of branches, twigs, foliage and root was calculated. The results of the present study reveled that the mean biomass of stem was 1919.64±244.44 kg, while the mean biomass of branches, twigs, foliage and root was 299.26±32. 32, 55.46±5.57, 65.90±2.87 and 435.81±77.15 kg respectively. In the total mean biomass the contribution of stem biomass was 66.28% . While the contribution of branches, twigs, leaves, and roots were 11.28, 2.193, 2.62, and 17.05 percent respectively. The mean above ground biomass was 2104.055± kg, while the mean total biomass was 2539.87 ±341.80 kg. The root shoot ration was 0.206 ± 0.011.The mean BEF was 0.686±0.0027 t m3

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EVALUATIVE ASSESSMENT OF A HYBRID RENEWABLE ENERGY UTILIZATION OF A RURAL AREA IN NIGERIA.[ ]


The recent advancement in the alternate form of power generation using renewable energy source has indeed brought many rural dwellers that are deprived of direct energy supply from the grid or utility to the limelight. The importance of hybrid renewable energy system has grown rapidly as they appeared to be the right solution for a clean and distributed energy production. In this technical report, a hybrid renewable energy system consisting of Photovoltaic (PV) and Micro-hydro power supplies were analyzed with major emphasis on Ichama community in Benue State of Nigeria. The proposed hybrid renewable energy systems (Photovoltaic and Micro-hydro power supplies) were simulated using Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewable (HOMER) software. The hybrid data were presented and simulation was carried out in three different cases such as case 1, case 2 & case 3. From the simulation results obtained, case 2 (stand-alone hybrid system) showed the best optimized solution due to its reduced operating and maintenance cost (O & M) and minimal gaseous emission as compared to cases 1 & 3. The total energy produced amounts to 2,384,840kwh/yr with PV contributing 14% while Hydro turbine contributed 84%. Excess energy valued at 192,222kwh/yr was realized in the analysis of this paper as presented herein for clarity.

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HIGH –K DIELECTRIC MATERIAL FOR CMOS DEVICES[ ]


The scaling of MOSFET based on Moore`s law will improve and enhance the performance of the device. This scaling requires the replacement of the conventional silicon oxide layer by high k- dielectric material having the higher permittivity. This high K-dielectric material will improve the band structure, conductivity and dielectric constant. The abintio calculations were carried on hf doped TiO2 high k dielectric material which will improve the above properties. The Band structure, Dielectric constant for different doping concentrations were obtained and analyzed.

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QUANTIFICATION OF FLOW RESISTANCE FOR UNLINED CANALS IN ALLUVIAL SOIL[ ]


This paper reports a model developed to predict and quantify the flow resistance in alluvial unlined channels/canals from fresh data (2011) for Jamrao Canal (Sindh, Pakistan), collected in Ph.D. thesis. This data has been used to quantify the flow resistance coefficient ‘n’ in alluvial unlined channels/canals using dimensional analysis method, specific equations have been developed. Methods used for analysis are fitted line and matrix formation. Fitted line method proved to be convenient mathematical tool, while alternative tool of matrix formation was found unsuitable since it produce very low values. For comparison the values of ‘n’ have also been calculated for the same data by Lacey’s equation.

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Vegetation Classification and Its Response to Soil Organic Matter along Simly Lake Using Ordination Technique[ ]


A study on herbaceous vegetation of Simly lake, Islamabad was undertaken. The purpose is to determine and quantify the floristic composition of vegetation data around Simly lake. The floristic distribution was analyzed by the use of multivariate techniques. Total 21 species belonging to 19 families were recorded from 50 quadrats from Simly lake. The vegetation data was analyzed by using ordination methods like TWINSPAN and Detrended Correspondence Analysis. The relationship of vegetation data with soil organic matter and its significant influence was analyzed by Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA). The most abundant species were Cynodon dactylon, Anagallis arvensis, Parthenium hysterophorus and Malvestrum coromendalium.

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Voltage Balancing of Supercapacitors String using Rectifier Diodes: Analytical and Simulation Approach[ ]


Supercapacitors (SCs) also called ultracapacitor or electric double-layer capacitors are considered as alternative to energy storage systems in many applications including wind turbines and electric vehicles where frequent charge/discharge and fast dynamic response is required. Due to high power density, fast energy storage characteristics and high efficiency SC is a prime focus in wireless charging for electric vehicles and electric tram systems. Due to technology limitations SCs poses low rated voltage which is insufficient for high voltage applications, although SCs are required to connect in series to achieve desire voltage range but due to internal parameters such as capacitance, equivalent series resistance (ESR) and self-discharge rate SCs draw unbalanced voltages during charge-discharge cycle. In this paper modelling approach for voltage balancing of SCs string using rectifier diodes is proposed, where two sets of SCs string are compared and discussed to verify results. Circuit design and simulation methods are used for this purpose.

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Sustainable Development and Management of Water Resources In West Nile Delta, Egypt[ ]


Egypt is a hyper arid country with limited water resources and less than 5% of its physical area inhabited due to the limitations on water resources in terms of rates and distribution. The major source of fresh water comes from the Nile, being fixed at 55.5 billion m3/year. The second source of water is groundwater available from both renewable and nonrenewable aquifer systems with a maximum sustainable potential of about 15 billion m3/year. However, due to its wide distribution, groundwater is considered main source of fresh water for both rural and agriculture supplies. During the last two decades, land reclamation projects and community settlements took place in many regions, including the West Nile delta. Some have been based on surface water diversions from the Nile (e.g. South El Tahrir, New Ameriya, El Nubariya and El Bustan) while others are totally dependent on local groundwater withdrawals (e.g. El Sadat city, Wadi el Natrun and Wadi el Farigh).

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A Quantitative Analysis of the Water Quality of Major Water Bottling Brands, Tap Water, and Surface Water in Ocean County, N.J.[ ]


Approximately one in nine people lack access to improved water sanitation and over 3.4 people die each year from poor water sanitation. Therefore, water must be monitored to limit human casualties. While there are annual water quality reports issued by the Environmental Protection Agency, those reports are limited to municipal water quality and do not reflect overall drinking water quality. This study aims to elucidate the water quality of drinking water (tap water and bottled water) in Ocean County, N.J. Water samples from the Barnegat Bay, N.J. and the Atlantic Ocean were also obtained to compare against drinking water. Water quality was evaluated on the presence of these contaminants: nitrates, sulfates, phosphates, chloride, bromide, iodine, copper, and bacteria. Contamination levels were determined using colorimetry to test inorganic ions and ColiscanEasygel® to test bacteria count. Results suggest that higher concentrations of disinfectants in tap water lead to lower colonies of bacteria. Overall water quality is ranked in order of decreasing water quality: Poland Spring®, Aquafina®, Deer Park®, Dasani®, Lakewood, Jackson, Toms River, Berkeley, Manahawkin, Lacey, Ocean water, Brick, and Barnegat Bay.

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